Biogas: The German model and programmability BIOGAS ITALY 2019 Sandra Rostek, Head of Berlin Office / Policy Department Fachverband Biogas e.V., German Biogas Association
Biogas: The German model and programmability
BIOGAS ITALY 2019
Sandra Rostek, Head of Berlin Office / Policy DepartmentFachverband Biogas e.V., German Biogas Association
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• German Biogas Association
• The German Model: Biogas in the context of the German energy transition
• Perspectives and programmability (?!)• Biogas in the electricity sector: high demand and new role
• Biomethane: greening Germany‘s gas grids and streets
• Conclusions
Content
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Main objective: promotion of the biogas sector
• Definition of legal framework and technical standards
• Exchange of information
• Lobbying on federal, state and EU level
The German Biogas Association
4900 members throughout Germany
• Operators of biogas plants
• Technology manufacturers
• Research institutions
• Public authorities
• Feedstock providers
• Interested individuals
43 employees dedicated to the topic
Biogas and the German energy transition
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The German public is very much in favorof climate protection…
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… and supports renewable energy
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The German energy transition: New dynamics, but old barriers
- Favorable public opinion
- Government wants to reach 65 % RE sharein electricity sector by 2030
- „Coal compromise“ of February 2019: coalphase out by 2038
- Draft of the Climate Protection Act: 95 % GHG reduction in all relevant sectors by 2050
- Measures taken almost exclusively in theelectricity sector
- Government very reluctant to introduce„unpopular“ measures
- Very restrictive, incoherent biomass policy
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Bioenergy plays a major role in all sectors
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And the biogas sector remains strong
Biogas: new role and high demand in theelectricity sector
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New role of Biogas in electricity: flexibility instead of base load
With increasing share of RES, baseload loses importance
Flexible systems fill the valleys of wind and sun
CHP with bioenergy & natural gas
New role of biogas
Cap
acity
[GW
]
red Demand
green Production Wind & Solar
20 % Renewable Energy Sources
40 % Renewable Energy Sources
80 % Renewable Energy Sources
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Results are starting to show
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…but the Renewable Energy Sources Acthas been stalling biogas ever since 2014
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• Existing biomass plants may participate in the national tender, yet the governmenthas not yet decided on a grow path for the auctions after 2022
… and we are lacking a mid-to longtermperspective
Biomethane: greening Germany‘s gas grids and streets
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Domestically produced green gases cancover half of Germany‘s 2050 gas demand
CHP sector
• Main instrument for development is the Renewable Energy Sources Act
Heat market
• Heating applications are hardly supported (obligation to use in CHP due to higher CO2-reduction)
Fuel sector
• Stagnating CNG vehicles sales
• National biomethanequota far belowRED II level
International Trade
• Prohibitive national legislations
• Lack of EU-wide mass balance system
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• 3.2 million t CO2 reduced
• approx. 200 Biomethane plants provide
• 1.7% of renewable electricity,
• 2.7% of renewable heat,
• 1.1% of renewable vehicle fuel consumed in Germany
Achievements and barriers in Germany
Ach
ieve
men
ts
Barriers
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• The German government is very incoherent in its current energy and climate policies:• Ambitious targets, which can be reached only with bioenergy
• Yet very restrictive policies, especially for biomass
• The Biogas sector suffers greatly from this lack of perspective and plannability
• Stabilization and optimization of the exisiting plants is our current focus
• While we have achieved options for existing plants in the Renewable Energy SourcesAct, many conditions need yet be improved in order to actually work
• In the long run, the Renewable Energy Sources Act will not be the ideal means ofincentivation for biogas
• Biogas has many advantages, which will have to be incentivized individually
Conclusions
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The Future of Biogas in Germany is a puzzle – worth and ready to be solved
Flexibility
Fuel
Green Gas
environmental services
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Thank you for your attention!